1 in 5 Kids Battle Anxiety & Mental Issues: How Adults Can Help
As adults, we often make the mistake of dismissing anxiety in children, thinking it’s an issue that only affects you later in life.
Sadly, the reality is different.
Choosing to ignore it would only lead to more children struggling in silence, not getting diagnosed, and lacking actual help.
The reality of anxiety and mental health issues in children
Yes, you’ve read the title correctly: on average, one in five children struggle with some form of mental health disorder, with anxiety being one of the most common.
And I know what you’re thinking: “we all get a little anxious sometimes.”
We do. But that’s not what an anxiety disorder is like.
We’re talking about something that affects both their thoughts and behaviour, getting in the way of their daily life (from school to home and social activities).
How you can help children struggling with anxiety as a parent or teacher
As a coach (and a mother) relying on a qualified advisory board, here are my tips.
1. Abandon outdated beliefs
I hear them from many parents:
“Everyone’s diagnosed with some mental health disorder, these days!”
“When I was a kid, we didn’t get help for these things, and we turned out just fine.”
As we’ve just seen, however, anxiety and mental health disorders in children are real.
So, while I appreciate it can be difficult depending on your background and upbringing, letting go of those harmful beliefs is the first step toward helping kids.
2. Learn to recognise the symptoms of anxiety in children
These can change depending on their age and personality, but the most common ones include:
Difficulty sleeping (waking up at night, having bad dreams or even wetting the bed)
Irritability and being more prone to crying
Struggling to eat
Anger outbursts
Difficulty concentrating
Lacking confidence, even in front of everyday tasks
Wanting to avoid ordinary activities like school or meeting friends
Expressing many negative thoughts
3. Start the conversation
Most children don’t open up to adults because they think we “won’t get it”. So, make them feel that you will!
As a parent who’s spotted these symptoms, invite them to talk about what’s making them feel so stressed
At school, this could involve planning talks with the entire class to break the stigma around mental health, having a confidential service in place, and talking to parents individually
4. Encourage children to recognise and manage their own symptoms…
Mindfulness has been shown to reduce anxiety, and it’s nothing ‘woo-woo’! It changes the brain in the same way exercise changes the body.
For example, here are some actionable tasks you can encourage your children to try when they feel anxious or overwhelmed:
Acknowledge their own feelings: hiding how they really feel would be counterproductive
Take a break if possible
Breathing is the switch that activates the relaxation response. Slow breaths into the belly will prime the brain and body to take over and do the rest. My special tip is to get children to visualise themselves holding a steaming mug of hot chocolate! They can breathe in its rich smell whilst counting to three, hold it for one, and then blow it out for three as if to cool down their drink (and repeat)
On top of that, help them maintain a healthy diet, exercise and sleep better (for instance, no screens within an hour before bedtime).
5. … but also to ask for help when they need it!
If their symptoms become too much for them to handle on their own, children should be made to feel that it’s fine to be honest about it with the adults in their life.
This could then lead to seeing a doctor or therapist.
Our workshops to help children tackle anxiety - and are available across London and Buckinghamshire
My name is Yvonne, and I founded Brightstarz to give kids and teenagers the helping hand we wish we had when we were their age.
Our Tackling Anxiety workshop is designed to help children understand, identify, and face both anxiety and panic attacks.
Join our list so as not to miss the next one, or let’s plan a workshop in your children’s school.
